I’m really enjoying exploring watercolours with pencil and charcoal at the moment so for tonights piece I decided to use the medium again. I’ve wanted to use this photo of Jane’s for ages and have finally got around to doing something with it. Jane took a series of photos of the ‘Equicirque’ in London. They are a company who put on magnificent equestrian shows and tour around the world with their productions. This particular horse and rider were from an act called ‘Los Rios’ and apparently the girl was only 15 years old!

By using a limited colour palette and being quite bold with the paint application, the image has been simplified which I think works well. The horse is actually grey but because i forced myself to use just a few colours I have re-created it in my own way. The angle of the horse and rider makes it an interesting piece and adds that element of mystery.

Low resolution images are used for each painting day, this is to help to prevent unauthorised usage and downloading, hence the colours may vary slightly from that of the original.

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For day 26 I decided to use another fabulous photo of Lorenzos grey horses taken by Jane but this time I didn’t want it to look exactly like the photo. I wanted to stylise the horse and make it my own. The photo itself is very ethereal and as I am a huge Pre-Raphaelite fan i looked to Burne-Jones for a little inspiration. I am always drawn to his watercolour studies and the way he uses those rich, and sometimes subtle, blues and warm earthy colours.

Limiting my pallette, I feel, works well for this piece. i kept the painting quite loose and i let the drips go wherever they wanted to go. I love this way of working and working ‘with’ the paint rather than going against it. Working with it can lead to some unusual and unique paintings.

Low resolution images are used for each painting day, this is to help to prevent unauthorised usage and downloading, hence the colours may vary slightly from that of the original.

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I was asked to have a look at this horses photograph with a view to paint her for this challenge… my first thoughts were about what an expressive eye she had, then I drank in the purple, burgundy, lilac, orange and peach, I instantly knew I had to paint her…

The headcollar was a patterned blue nylon so I substituted for a leather look, removed the lead rope and allowed the lovely linen finish of the canvas to become a very quiet and simple background…..

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Today has been a ‘finishing off a painting day’ for me. I’ve had this painting sitting in my studio for months and was in the very early stages of progress. I thought it was about time I got around to completing it so I have used the painting challenge to help push me forward with it.

This gorgeous Spanish stallion is owned by a Facebook friend of mine and they kindly gave me permission to use their photo. The peacefulness of the horse attracted me to the image straight away. It has that medieval feel to it which I am always drawn to. I could have gone into detail and defined each and every wave of the mane but I didn’t want it to look exactly like the photo so I changed it and blended the yellows and the blues together creating more of a blurred effect, which I feel gives more of an ethereal quality to it.

Low resolution images are used for each painting day, this is to help to prevent unauthorised usage and downloading, hence the colours may vary slightly from that of the original.

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After 7 hours filming in Liverpool and a 6 hour round trip by rail, I’ve steadily created this study of the re-enactment group ‘Slipped Knott’…. I took a number of reference photographs last month at Wentworth Castle Gardens, and I’ve been harbouring the intention to paint some when time permitted……

Today has been confined to drawing media due to the confinement of the train journeys, but as I have been quietly absorbed entertaining my fellow passengers, the hours have flown by and this pencil study shall emerge shortly as a full colour painting – I’ve taken out more soldiers, changed the colour of the horse, restructured the background and generally given it a good shake up from the image in the reference photo….

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The Medieval period!…sigh! I am absolutely OBSESSED with it! The horses, the romance, the clothes, everything! Like the Civil War, I have been interested in all things medieval since I was a child and again, it stems from when my dad used to take us to look at old ruined castles where there would be re-enactment groups which brought the history to life. I guess it has all just remained with me ever since.

A Facebook friend of mine has very kindly allowed me to use her wonderful photo of her and her horse. Both horse and rider look absolutely stunning and I couldn’t resist painting it. I’ve been meaning to get around to creating a painting such as this for months and this challenge has allowed me to make a start on what will be an ongoing project. I’m really enjoying these swirling backgrounds and each time I do them I feel they are becoming more effective. I will keep experimenting with the idea.

Low resolution images are used for each painting day, this is to help to prevent unauthorised usage and downloading, hence the colours may vary slightly from that of the original.

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Tonight has been ‘Art Club Demonstration’ night, and I popped along to Dinnington Art Club near Rotherham, South Yorks, for a quick spot of horse in acrylics…

My last demonstration at this club I completed a detailed portrait of a wee Pekingese dog owned by one of the audience. Tonight I had been asked to paint a horse in acrylics, and I knew the one I wanted to work on!

I’d come across a photo quite recently of a lovely grey Arabian stallion, all arched neck and flying mane – he would make an eye catching painting and also a chance to draw the basics with a few sweeping lines, to increase the colour in shadow and to use a loose technique with little detail – 2 hours goes very fast when you are sat at an easel with an audience asking questions!

This Art Group has a very professional set up – camera trained on my painting and projected onto a cinema wall! So I was viewing my own work at about 8 foot tall!

Upon completing the painting and returning home, I wondered if I should refine some areas of the painting, but upon reflection, I decided that I would only fiddle and may spoil some of that energy and flow within the painting…..

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I just can’t believe it is day 20! Time has flown so quickly! Today i have finally got around to painting this gorgeous shire x, Duchess, whose photo was donated to us on our facebook page by her owner. I really enjoyed painting her bright bay coat. I could see pinks, purples, blues, ochres. It’s amazing just how many colours you begin to notice once you start to ‘look’ more at something. Colour used to scare me but now I have so much more confidence and want to learn more about the subject. Again, I have tried to experiment with the background with this one to make the painting a bit different and to add a little atmosphere and interest. I’m really liking using this technique.

Low resolution images are used for each painting day, this is to help to prevent unauthorised usage and downloading, hence the colours may vary slightly from that of the original.

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This oil on canvas panel is painted from life, it shows our little mare, Clivocast Shelby, who is sadly leaving us this week and going back to her owner as we have lost our grazing. I’m sad to see her go, so this painting I did for her… She is such a bright eyed little poser and will stand at the gate for hours in the hope of a treat!

It was a simple job to take the easel and paints up to the field and work loosely keeping the colour palette cool blues and greys… I brought the painting home after 2 hours as the flies started to stick to the paint (now tweezered off) and added a few more darks and details from memory….

The reason of painting from life today is an interesting one………. My blog received a comment a couple of days ago that got me thinking…. Do I copy photos, do I change the photos enough (backgrounds, colours, combine 3 or 4 together…?) Am I guilty of being only a copyist? Why do I work in a Traditional and figurative way? ( I did do a series of more abstract works as a student and then later in my 20’s), Is my work too safe and boring???

The comment is as follows….. ” Great work, I really feel that you should expand your horizons beyond copying. I see so many wonderfully skilled artists such as yourself, whose creativity is limited by the habit of copying and commissions. Don’t be afraid to try something new.”

To an artist that has done a 4 year degree and then 20 years self employed as a professional painter, what ‘new’ things are left???

I suppose there is conceptual art (which I hate and find most of it pretentious rubbish)

There’s performance art (errrr, no thanks, coming from Barnsley I see ‘performance’ art on every street corner on a Saturday night)

So what’s left?

Me

I don’t have the need to be new or innovative, I’m just me……

So here I am, doing what I love doing, in a style which I have found over 25 years of painting suits me perfectly, working from life, memory AND photograph….. Mainly painting horses, but happy painting nudes, dogs, cats, wildlife, landscapes, portraits….

I like things to look in proportion and have correct form – elongated and deformed horses don’t float my boat under the name of ‘stylised’ or ‘modern’… to me they are just badly painted…Rant over!

These remarks are not aimed at anybody, but I feel a little more justified doing what I do and being happy within my own rules…..

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I have been interested in the English Civil War for as long as I can remember. My
dad was always taking my brothers and I to English Heritage sites which were linked
with that particular era and having one of these sites situated near my home, I
feel a strong connection with the subject. I have wanted to produce a series of
paintings based on the Civil War for some time and after seeing Jane’s photos
she took the other week, it spurred me on to try and paint something. I have a
few friends in the Sealed Knott and they have been kind enough to allow me to
use their photos for my work. I created a few pieces based on the Civil War for
my 100 day challenge two years ago but now I feel I am more confident with
paint I believe I can, at last, begin to do the subject justice.

Today’s piece is in watercolour and pencil and is slightly more detailed than
day 12 but also retains that looseness which I love when using this medium.
I’ve limited my palette in order to help prevent getting too detailed. I have
also experimented with the background to see whether that same dream-like
effect I use in oils can be achieved in watercolour an it most certainly can!
Here, the tension mounts as both horse and rider are alert and ready for
battle!

Low resolution images are used for each painting day, this is to help to prevent unauthorised usage and downloading, hence the colours may vary slightly from that of the original.

A higher resolution image is available to view if you may be interested in purchase.